Random Thoughts Thread

[isiolia]

Yes I meant new releases. Obviously a DVD from 1999 is much cheaper than a 2015 Bluray. My point was that newly released DVDs is still going neck and neck with Bluray.

I wonder if Bluray is going to be the new "LaserDisc" . The higher quality option that no one will buy.

Blu-rays seem to sell better than that. Most retailers stock them, and seem to sell them. They also aren't nearly as expensive as Laserdiscs, or markedly different an experience to watch (as opposed to flipping/changing Laserdiscs).

Most people who actually care about quality seem to opt for them. Those who are still rocking an A/V setup from 10-15+ years ago, or that just watch stuff through the TV anyway, likely don't care and would just rather save the $5.

It's possible that more Blu-ray customers are also more likely to use streaming, not as a replacement, but as a supplement to disc buying. Anticipated releases get bought, but others are just a "wait for it to show up on Netflix" thing.

[Cronozilla]

Something to consider, BluRay came very soon after DVD took over.

Most people ignored LaserDisc and VCD. So, there was a 17-20 year period where they enjoyed a single format. Everyone saw a new economical format that was drastically superior and added novel enhancements.

DVDs were small, a very familiar format, since they were just like using CDs, you don't have to rewind them, and you can now have excellent audio, and they don't degrade just by using them. Not to mention a bunch of dumb perks no one cares about.

Does BluRay bring anything to the table that most people care about? It fixes a lot of problems DVD had (compression being a big one) Probably not.

Personally, I think it would have been smarter to not push such an obvious transition of formats. It would have made a lot of sense to make an HD/DVD hybrid format, such that movies would just be in HD and all that junk once a family bought a new player, instead of putting people back in the 2000 mindset of, new format, new collection.

Most people just said fuck it. And right at the same time, Netflix streaming took off, which costs A LOT less than buying movies.
It's probably not a coincidence.

[ZeroAX]

Great place to ask though, the forum where some people still collect VHS tapes .

In all seriousness, physical media is on its way out, but if CDs are STILL getting sold in stores, you can imagine that there will be a (smaller, but still existant) market for blue ray movies for at least another 5-10 years.

EDIT

Released my first commercial app on the App store

....not even my friends bought it . Mostly fellow developers did
http://theoatmeal.com/blog/apps
now I understand the full reality of this comic

[RCBH928]

I think part of the reason BD didn't pickup is that people no longer see the price point of $10-20 as a value when purchasing movies. With Netflix, Torrents, Flash Sales, YouTube, online rental, and infinite amount of TV channels that play movies all day long people no longer feel the value is there. Switch back to 2000, purchasing/renting a physical copy was about your only choice to watch the movie you want.

@ZeroAX

Whats the name of your app?

There is a connection to that comic and what I said above about Bluray. People price things relatively. When everyone is selling a cup of coffee for $7 , then people feel thats the fair price. With apps, where you can download a full OS with an Office suite and Photoshop alternative for free, people feel scammed paying anything hence why they see $1 is a lot for an app.

That and in combination with the huge amount of specific-task apps it soon builds up. I have 152 apps on my iphone/ipad , if I paid $5 for each it will cost me $760.

This reminds me of an anecdote. A friend saw an app idea on Shark Tank, he was so excited about it. He said it so good and decided to support them that I paid the full price of $2 for the app

[ZeroAX]

@ZeroAX

Whats the name of your app?

There is a connection to that comic and what I said above about Bluray. People price things relatively. When everyone is selling a cup of coffee for $7 , then people feel thats the fair price. With apps, where you can download a full OS with an Office suite and Photoshop alternative for free, people feel scammed paying anything hence why they see $1 is a lot for an app.

It's this one, but it's in Greek https://itunes.apple.com/gr/app/id986748433 . That is its gimmick . I mostly made it to have something in the app store for my cv, but I was still shocked by how unwilling Greeks are to pay for an app.


Unfortunately you are very right. I live in a country where you can pay from 1 to 5 euro for a coffee, and I find the 4-5 euro shops to just be taking advantage of people's stupidity, but I get called stingy when I point it out and refuse to go to one of those stores.

Then again I spend way more money than the average Greek on software and travelling abroad, so I guess eveyone chooses their favorite entertainment/hobbies and puts a lot of money into that?

[Hazerd]

If i was a country singer, id never want to meet Dolly Parton.

[Ack]

If i was a country singer, id never want to meet Dolly Parton.

I can think of two big reasons why I would like to meet Dolly Parton.

[MrPopo]

If i was a country singer, id never want to meet Dolly Parton.

I can think of two big reasons why I would like to meet Dolly Parton.

Titles, Mr. Connery.

[Forlorn Drifter]

If i was a country singer, id never want to meet Dolly Parton.

I can think of two big reasons why I would like to meet Dolly Parton.

And they are (or at least, were) insured for $600,000

[Ack]

What the hell is wrong with you guys? I was going to say the movie Rhinestone and Sylvester Stallone.